Twas the Night
by Trevor X
Summary: Challenge theme: Laughter. With Christmas Spirit! "Serra knows that Vaida is fitting Wallace in a Santa Costume."


_Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house..._

Serra sighed and stretched leisurely at her post. It was almost time.

_Not a creature was sleeping, not even the mouse._

"Gwa-ha-ha-ha!"

The sound of hearty laughter split the air, followed seconds later by a familiar, exasperated bellow.

"Wallace, you buffoon! It's 'ho-ho-ho', not that ridiculous sputtering that you insist on emitting at random. And this would have been easier if you hadn't gained that extra weight for the holidays!"

Vaida was in rare form tonight, Serra noted. She was also trying to finish fitting Wallace in a familiar red suit with white fur trim. The irate woman paused in her alterations to push up the glasses that seemed to slip down her nose every time she tilted her head downward. Serra watched as Vaida pretended to slip in order to give Wallace a poke with the needle that she wielded quite competently.

As expected, Wallace broke into laughter again. The man was impervious to pain, it seemed. Or addicted to the sound of his own voice - that was Serra's personal opinion.

_The children were not asleep in their beds, as over the railing peeked several small heads..._

"Gwa-ha-huh-ho?" Wallace tried again with little success. It seemed it was impossible for him to alter his laugh to fit the proscribed image.

From her vantage point, Serra noticed Vaida sigh and shrug. "Just _say_ 'Ho-ho-ho'. Even a buffoon like you should be able to manage that."

Wallace cleared his throat once and tried to deepen his voice. "Ho-ho-how! Merry Christmas."

Vaida had snuck in another jab with the needle.

Quiet giggles drew Serra's attention; after a few moments she fixed her gaze on several of her charges peeking through the railing. The little rapscallions had managed to sneak down that far without alerting their 'big sister'. But apparently the performance below them was too much for their stealth to last.

Serra was glad to note that Eirika was one of the children laughing; neither she nor her twin brother had spoken much after the death of their parents landed them a place in the orphanage. Though Ephraim had befriended the other children and opened up, Eirika had remained subdued.

But there she was peeking down and giggling along with Myrrh and Lyn.

Saint Wallace was working his magic.

_Up on the stairs, there arose such a clatter, that mother looked up to see what was the matter..._

"Serra, stop twiddling your fingers and put the children to bed or Santa won't have enough time to get into his Christmas suit." Vaida sounded aggrieved that she had to remind Serra to do her job. "Can't you try to handle things like Lucius?"

"Yes, _mother_!"

Serra made sure to stick out her tongue at Vaida before she swept down on the children, eliciting a few more giggles from the girls. Shooing them along and taking Myrrh's hand, Serra led them back into the various bedrooms that were the main abode for the children at this time of the evening.

She tucked them all in; starting with Ephraim and Lyon and ending with the girls. Leaving the bedroom doors open, Serra retrieved a book and chair from her own room; sitting down in the hall, she commenced to read aloud the "Twas The Night Before Christmas".

By the time that she'd finished, most of the children had drowsed off. Only Myrrh kept fighting sleep and even she was losing the battle. Serra tucked her in once more and retreated back to her room, dragging chair and book with her.

She briefly considered going downstairs, but hearing Vaida's low throaty chuckles dissuaded her; once she and Wallace got going, they never stopped. And Serra didn't really wish to see the bald man in all his glory _or_ spoil her pristine picture of what Santa Claus was really like. _Even if Santa did go around kissing mama beside the Christmas tree!_

Besides, Lucius would be home in the morning and then she'd have the last laugh. Filled with delightful mirth, Serra slipped into bed and let dreams of a certain sugarplum dance in her head.

_Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!_


End file.
